Therapy - Wrenching or riding

[brianinpa]

I haven't been riding since August. A blown head gasket and it was too dang cold to get out in the garage over the winter so I wasn't able to anything!

The past month, the weather has finally caught up to the calendar so between two jobs, a week off from both to go to St. John's, Newfoundland (yeah, during the winter wasn't the best time to go there!) I have been able to finally get the bike back to running order. Fired it up tonight, and oh what a sound! Sure wrenching on it is good, but I WANNA RIDE!!!!

Tomorrow I have a wedding to attend and maybe then, I can get the fairing and the rest of the plastic on and go for a ride!

 

[BeachedSquirrel]

I know the feeling! I had my first motorcycle for a year before I had to sell it. I then went another year without one and it was a killer. I finally found the Goldwing I have now, and I couldn't be happier.

Wrenching is fun, but riding is definitely better! Now if I could get the weather and my days off to cooperate...

 

[brianinpa]

Today was a good day! Woke up, spent 2 1/2 hours buttoning things up and then rode it to the wedding. The idea of casual dress for a wedding is a great thing...

 

[VoodooRed_KZ1100_A-3]

Agree with that, Brian. I hate suits. I look like I need clearance lights and turn signals. And a strobe on top.

A crappy day of wrenching and problem wrangling is better than two good days at work! But I agree. A ride beats wrenching hands down. One hour in the saddle is better than that one crappy day of wrenching! "Red" has been laid up over the winter, and I've had more irons than fire to deal with for the past three months. But my time's comin'...


Mark

 

[brianinpa]

More irons than fire...

Man I can relate! At least now that the 1100 is back on the road, one less thing to worry about.

 

[Kynan C.]

I tend to always be wrenching something. My XS11 goes down, my DR650 is up. Right now my RD350 is down, and my XS.

 

[VoodooRed_KZ1100_A-3]

I tend to always be wrenching something. My XS11 goes down, my DR650 is up. Right now my RD350 is down, and my XS.

Great to be back, fellas!

I wish there was a motorcyclist equivalent for "Cogito, ergo sum"... like something on the order of "I'm a REAL biker, therefore I wrench..."

Mark

 

[brianinpa]

"I'm a REAL biker, therefore I wrench..."

I think I am going to start to use that. If imitation is the best form of flattery, plagiarism is even better!

 

[dieselheart001]

You got that right!

 

[Larry Fine]

Or, simply, "I ride, therefore I wrench."

 

[Kynan C.]

or for me it would be "I wrench, therefore I can ride."

 

[VoodooRed_KZ1100_A-3]

"Equitare, et idcirco ego nunc reparare"...

Latin limits riding to horses. I don't think motorcycles were anticipated. But motorcycles are sometimes called
"steel horses", so freely translated, the Latin phrase comes out, paraphrased accordingly since steel was probably not around either:

"I ride a steel horse, therefore I must repair it."

Close, but no pickle... I tried. God knows I did. lol...

Mark "Voodoo Red"

 

[VoodooRed_KZ1100_A-3]

I think I am going to start to use that. If imitation is the best form of flattery, plagiarism is even better!

Imitation is mere whistles and cheers. Plagiarism is a freaking STANDING OVATION!! Run with it!

 

[XS11JAMMERIII]

I also have been riding 50+. My current ride is my long time buddy '79 XS11 Special Yamaha. I do all my own wrenching, a 37 year old ride is not that complicated. Doing regular maintenance is therapeutic for me and my XS. Once buttoned up and back on the road, that first post-maintenance ride is soul cleansing.

 

[brianinpa]

I also have been riding 50+. My current ride is my long time buddy '79 XS11 Special Yamaha. I do all my own wrenching, a 37 year old ride is not that complicated. Doing regular maintenance is therapeutic for me and my XS. Once buttoned up and back on the road, that first post-maintenance ride is soul cleansing.

Right now I am putting a 1200 motor in my 1100 Gold Wing. While I am working on it, I'm even talking to it about the next big ride...

 

[XS11JAMMERIII]

So far, I have been lucky in that the XS's engine is bone stock and runs strong. Oil consumption has gone up some the past couple years, around 1/2 quart every 2k mile oil change.
Several years ago, I scored a donor engine. I had the cylinders bored for a set of Wiseco 1187 overbore pistons and rings, set aside with matching head gasket. As a precaution I had the donor head refurbished and ready for the eventual day when I need to do a top-end. I went with Wiseco because that is the closest to stock they offer for the XS11 and NOS oversize pistons and ring sets are near nonexistent or many times more expensive than Wiseco. Other XS riders who have done the Wiseco over bore have said the kit works well and there is not a noticeable increase in power or gas mileage.

 

[brianinpa]

That's why I have two bikes... one to keep original and one to tinker with. I figured with 119,000 miles on it, the 81 earned the right to be tinkered with.

 

[XS11JAMMERIII]

I had an '81 GL1100. My wife had an '81 GL500 Sliverwing. She didn't ride her "Little Wing" much. My GL was a bit of a limon and experanced one minor irretation after another. The 500 never hic-uped and ran strong. At the time, we had 4 bikes including my XS. My wife got to where she could no longer ride and it was tuff letting the Hondas go. My XS has always been the Boss Bike.

 

[BeachedSquirrel]

Was doing a little work of my Sportster today... a knife decided to slip and slice my thumb open. It was fun until that happened. Got it bandaged up and went right back to work.

 

[brianinpa]

A shop rag and duct tape works best...